It is no secret that many IT and software firms are facing a major shortage of talent.
The growing demand for personnel with digital skills comes as technology is evolving and advancing at a rapid pace which means more financial services firms are placing greater emphasis on QA.
In the UK, a range of recent research reports have found that there is a significant IT skills gap.
More than nine in 10 software companies said there is a gap in IT skills in Britain, primarily due fast developments in artificial intelligence, cloud computing and data analytics.
Only yesterday, Praveen Madire, the founder and current CEO of Test Triangle, specialised in application testing, DevOps and RPA, told QA Financial that “the most pressing challenge in the testing industry is the persistent gap between the demand for skilled professionals and the available talent pool, leading to resource shortages and skill gaps.”
However, Ryan James, managing director of nFocus Testing, is hopeful. The UK-based QA veteran sees that many graduates are opting for a career in testing.
He said his Shropshire-based testing firm has been around for 24 years, with a heavy focus on software testing and quality assurance, serving a range of British financial services firms.
“Our growth is directly due to the rapid changes in technology. New software systems featuring machine learning and automation are highlighting exactly why our testing and quality assurance services are needed,” James said.
“The changes in technology have led to a national skills shortage,” he acknowledged.
“Many graduates are seeing the appeal of a career in automated software testing and quality assurance. It’s a career that offers endless potential.”
– Ryan James
As a result “digital transformation teams are struggling to keep up with the skills needed to continually test and quality assure that the latest tech. That’s why they are turning to us to help them find the right people with the right skills.”
James is referring to the firm’s academy, which was launched especially for computer science graduates.
During the two years since the launch of the program, nFocus has supported 31 students. The initial plan was to take on 16 graduates per year, but demand for the training was more than James expected.
“So many graduates are seeing the appeal of a career in automated software testing and quality assurance. It’s a career that offers endless potential,” he said.
“We never expected the demand to be so huge. We had only ever planned to train one intake of graduates per year, and this has already increased to three,” James continued.
He stressed that the academy is showcasing how the training isn’t just about upskilling people.
“It is directly placing them into jobs that need their new skills. This is hugely exciting for clients as well as us because they can then hire the right people at the right time for their digital projects, knowing that they have the latest training and knowledge behind them.”
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